The Problems of Psychical Research: Experiments and Theories in the Realm of the SupernormalCarrington, Hereward
Science
The Problems of Psychical Research: Experiments and Theories in the Realm of the Supernormal
Carrington, Hereward
Parapsychology
Then there is the theory that the unconscious muscular action of the
sitters is the cause of the movement and writing. This has been
considered before, and it was pointed out that, even granting for the
sake of argument that the board was actually moved by this means, the
question still remains: How are we to account for the mentality behind
the movement--especially when facts are given unknown to all the members
of the circle? (For an example of this see _Proceedings, S.P.R._, vol.
ix. pp. 93-8.)
The question thus arises: _What_ did the writing? The theory of
unconscious muscular action has been considered, and found not to
explain all the facts. Many might contend that the board was moved by a
principle or force as yet unknown, and think the question settled in
that way. Of course this is a mere begging of the question, for all
practical purposes, because, if the explanation were known, there would
be no mystery and no argument about it. But the mere statement that the
board is operated by a force as yet unknown merely restates the problem,
without in any way attempting to solve it, and hence leaves us precisely
where we were. Certainly this theory will not do!
Undoubtedly, the simplest explanation--and the correct one--for the
majority of the facts is that the subconscious mind is alone responsible
for them. Thoughts, images, reflections, imaginations, tend to
externalize or express themselves in this manner,--in motor
avenues,--through the movement of the board. The vast majority of ouija
board "communications" are to be accounted for in this way. But what of
those other (relatively rare) cases in which supernormal information,
unknown to the sitter, is obtained? Any theory which is advanced must
explain these cases also, as well as the movement of the board, and pure
subconscious activity does not. We should still have to account for this
knowledge, unknown to the writer; so that we shall have to seek further
yet, in order to discover the true cause of the intelligence doing the
writing.
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